Megan Jones discusses her part in the book and how she’s bringing the ideas to Drew programs
August 2026 – Drew University Director of Global Education Megan Jones has contributed to a recently-published book, Vanishing Voices: The Future of Language Learning in Education Abroad.
The book was the result of a professional seminar in Seville, Spain, hosted by the Spanish Institute for Global Education (SIGE). All participants were authors in the publication.
Jones co-wrote a chapter discussing the ideal process for learning a second language and how professionals in education abroad can modify the ideal process into one that can be realistically integrated into different modalities of education abroad, specifically internships, service-learning, and faculty-led programs.
“My experiences at Drew, specifically working with faculty developing Drew’s shortTRECs and on our faculty advisory committee for global education, informed my discussion about the practicalities of integrating language learning and intercultural development more broadly into short-term faculty-led programs,” said Jones.
Participants in the seminar discussed the tension between older models of “study abroad” which often focused on cultural immersion with the intended outcome of language acquisition, and the newer models of education abroad which often no longer have language acquisition as the primary educational goal.
“Our chapter discusses some of the ways that faculty and education abroad professionals can think about integrating language and communication skills into different types of programs, including internships abroad,” said Jones.
The topic is directly relevant to Drew’s Global Education program. Next summer, Drew will partner with SIGE for a shortTREC to Seville during which all students will be placed in a 20-hour per week internship, facilitated by SIGE, and enroll in a Spanish cultural course taught by Drew Professor Monica Cantero-Exojo.
“Students often think about internships separately from study abroad,” said Jones. “You can do both, and in many ways the experience of working as well as living in a different country will result in an even richer immersion than a standalone study abroad or internship experience. A student will apply both their knowledge of a language and a culture at the same time as they apply and build their workplace skillset.”
